Huffington post, phl leader must focus on economic reforms

Quote from one of the articles seems to say most of it: "How to overhaul the Philippines' economic system, so that, to paraphrase French Philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, no man is poor enough to sell his votes and no one is rich enough to hijack the political system. Formal political equality amid mind-boggling poverty and inequality is nothing but an illusion of democracy."

The illusion of Filipino Pride reigns still.

 

BBC "Hard Talk" recently did a program on the Philippines. Unlike his usual studio interviews, Stephen Sacher went into the field, meeting OFW relatives, call center workers, and residents and social workers in Tondo. In sum, economic improvement is swallowed up by population growth. Growth comes chiefly from low-level employment. He ascribes too much importance to the RH bill, as though contraception was not available before, whereas the bill is chiefly about education. In closing he interviews the archbishop, who defends the Church opposition to artificial means of family planning. But he retreats just a bit from the official position. He says that his job is education, to help a parishoner form a conscience and make a decision. Once the decision is made, he says, it's a matter between the individual and God. This is a distinctly Protestant position! He should admonish and attempt to reorient the sinner during confession.